The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-02-20
ANTI-M0RM0N WS.
A Strong Protest Against the
( TEdmnndS- Tucker Bill"
FREE GOVERNMENT IN UTAH
Early Prosecutions of the Peculiar
People-Mormon Civilization Con-
trasted With Our own

Utah, are, of special legislation without
a parallel in modern times. The plet
of necessity" of the interest o
society and of religion" are usurpint
the place of reason and law. The "las
blow at Mormonism, as it is called, il
establishing new presidents of tyranny
The press is conspiring to prevent dis
cusslon on the subject. To speak of th'
Mormon people as possessing any
worth, moral or civic; to hint com
parlson between their beliefs and prac-
tees and our own, is to place ones sell
under the ban of civilized society" Tt
ask for a formula of the relation of the
general government to the Territories is
to bubble over small things. To cal
attention to the chaotic condition of our
marriage laws is to wonder from the
subject. To suggest the need of dis
cussion of the relation of the sexes is
proof of ones depravity. But facts
cannot be always ignored.
The MormOnS had been driven out
many times before plural marriage was
ever known among them. Such
marriage is now practiced by not more
than per cent. of the church member
ship, while but small proportion of
these have more than two wives. But
this doctrine was avowed full ten years
before Congress took any notice of il,
and thea law was passed in war
times. The party that passed it did
really nothing from 1862 to l8S2 for its
enforcement. The Edmunds law, now
in force IN Utah, was passed on the eve
OF the last Presidential elect o as q
means of helping prop the sinking
fortunes of the party OF grand moral
IDEAS" The nation which had now
recovered from the fatigue OF Its former
struggle was summoned to battle once
more under Republican leadership.
Polygamy was to be made the great
issue of the times. Congress was
besieged with petitions to deal with
these Mormons, most of which came
from ecclesiastical bodies or mass meet.
ings presided over by some reverend
gentleman. 1t is not strange, by the
way, that the chuEch should so covet the
distinction OF leading in the attack on
this one of 1.-The twin relics" when it
was Nhe last in helping overthrow that
that it should sit down contented, as it
were, amidst barbarisHa called "civili-
- in VhiehFa new form of slavery
and something worse than polygamy,
is taking deep root. 1sFfa
I, CongressSbeyed. The most tyrannical
of laws was passed 1882s, and it laughed
at the idea that in this outside pressure
was any Of the spirit of persecution.
That was possible only il the past ages
And as little as possible was said about
the treatment OF the Mormons from the
time they-began to preach their new
religion. Know we net that they were
driven from New York, Ohio, Missouri ri
and Illinois (the States nov most in.
danger of military raiel, Laying the
homes they had built, the fields they
had cultivated, the temples they had
reared; then entering the wilderness,
making roads, building bridgesifghting
storms, treating with the Indians, and.
bowling in prayer morning and night,
they had jeurneyed more than 1000
miles beyond civilizations Eurthest
Gmits2 They planned and built cities
sent out colonies, until the Mormon line
of settlements became as an soasis in the
desert. OveC their first eucampment
Coated the StarsE and Stripes land the
beehive was their chosen emblem.
Before long they petitioned Congress for
transcontinental telegraph and rail-
way, and their hands helped to stretch
the wires sndlay the rails! And this
people, are uDdeserving a place in the
Union! Utah7s population is twice that
OF Nevada, and exceeded thafof Kansas
and Nebraska combined when these
Territories were formed into States.
OF Utah's 10000 population, 25, 700
only are Gentle. But this minority is
distinguished in certain ways. 1t fills
nearly every position of influence and
emelumentl from the governorship
down. OF the 200 saloons, billiard,
rooms and bowling alleys, but a dozen,
profess to be Mormon. All of the
bagnios and other disreputable concerns
are run and sustained by anti Mormons.
Nlnety-elghtp per cent. of the gamblers,
and 50 per cent Of the lawyers are of
the outside element. Eighty per cent.
OF the ltgation is from, the same
source Ninety per cent. Of the suicides,
and so per cent OF the homIeides and
lntanticideS are noG-Mormon.
There are in Massachusetts four times
as many conYicts, and nine times as
many paupers, as in Utah; and there is
az n one-tenth less of ILL. eracy in Utah
than in Massachusetts, and four times
less than in the District of Columbia
Utah IS IN advance Of the general aver
age OF the United states, in the enroll
Teent OF school population, percentage
OF dally attendance, and the amount
per capita invested in school property.
The textbooks in use are The same as
with this exception that no
religious teDets, or religious exercises.
are allowed In these public schools.
Nluety-hye per cent. of the Mormon
people live in their own houses on their
own lands, for which they hold deeds in
their own names. Small divisions of
land with high cultivation is the rule
There are 10000 farms, Containing an
average of twenty-five acres each. Co
operation is practiced to a greater ex-t
tent among the Mormons than among
any other people. In temperance RE
form they lead the world.
There exists in Utah an unrestrsined
exercise of faith and worship. The
Mormon believes his creed (based Ike
The rest. on the Bible) has nothing TO
fear from free rivalry with the creeds |
Of Christendom, and theMormon priest |
hood is unsalsried from the head of the |
church down.
Weentrust the execution of our laws
n n o0uorn0r vii D q l;as ;,5rxa, t.-:.l-F